Noise suppressing welding helmet

Abstract

A welder's helmet having means to reduce the level of noise reaching a welder's ears when the helmet is positioned for welding. The helmet is characterized by the fact that the sound reducing means while fixed to the helmet does not contact or rest upon the head, ears or face of the welder thus not interfering with normal atmosphere circulation between the welder's head and helmet.

We claim: 
     
       1. In a welder's helmet of the type having a front section containing a light filtering glass window and oppositely disposed rearwardly extending sides supported by a head harness for positioning the helmet to protect the face and sides of a welder's head when the helmet is worn during a welding operation, the improvement comprising: a forward extending recess in each of said sides, said recess sized to be larger than the area covering a welder's ears;   ear protection means including an acoustical absorbing medium covering said recesses and extending rearwardly therefrom, said means and acoustical medium being disposed in said recesses so that when said helmet is being worn, neither said means nor said acoustical absorbing medium touches the ears of the user/welder.   
     
     
       2. A helmet according to claim 1 wherein said acoustical absorbing medium is a synthetic foam material. 
     
     
       3. A helmet according to claim 1 wherein said ear protection means includes a support structure having the shape of an annulus wherein the peripheral shape of the annulus is complementary to said recess and having disposed therein acoustical foam. 
     
     
       4. A helmet according to claim 3 wherein the surfaces of said support positioned outwardly of said helmet are of a sound reflecting material. 
     
     
       5. Ear protection device for placing on a welding helmet of the type having a front section containing a light filtering glass window and oppositely disposed rearwardly extending sides supported by a head harness for positioning the helmet to protect the face and sides of welder's head when the helmet is worn during a welding or gouging operation comprising in combination: an acoustical structure having a first half and a second half, said second half having a large generally circular aperture;   an acoustical sound absorbing medium disposed in each of said halves of said support structure; and   means to position and fix one of said support structures on each of said rearwardly extending portions of said helmet, whereby said support half having the aperture is positioned adjacent to but spaced apart from the ear of a welder when said helmet is in use.   
     
     
       6. An ear protector according to claim 5 wherein said acoustical support structure is generally clam shaped and said first and second halves are hingedly connected. 
     
     
       7. An ear protector according to claim 5 wherein said acoustical sound absorbing medium is a synthetic foam. 
     
     
       8. An ear protector according to claim 5 wherein said means to position and fix said support structure includes a generally flat annular lip on each of said halves having a plurality of apertures therein to receive mechanical fasteners extending through one of said lips through said helmet and through said other lip of said support structure. 
     
     
       9. An ear protector according to claim 8 wherein said fasteners are rivets. 
     
     
       10. Ear protection device adapted to be fitted to a head protecting device of the hard hat type, consisting of an outer shell and inner harness to protect the upper head of a wearer, comprising in combination: a first ear piece and a second ear piece each having an outer surface and an inner surface lined with an acoustical sound absorbing medium; and   means to position said first and second ear pieces on the hard hat so that said sound absorbing medium is spaced adjacent the wearers ear without physically touching the wearer's ear said means includes a support fixed to each ear piece and adapted to fasten said ear pieces to said hard hat by suitable fastening means.   
     
     
       11. An ear protection device according to claim 10 wherein said acoustical sound absorbing medium is a synthetic foam.